


As days go by - A KH Advent Calendar

by Tory (Ejes)



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: 24 prompts, Advent Calendar, Christmas Challenge, No KH3 spoilers, a post a day, this will be the end of me once again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-05 00:12:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 14,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16799845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ejes/pseuds/Tory
Summary: As days go by, we are getting closer to that fated day. Day by day, our waiting time is getting over. For 24 days, have a look at their lives, moments from the past, present and future alltogether. Their times of joy, of doubt, of sadness. Have 24 prompt that share nothing in common, but are yet connected by the same sky. The same destiny. [24 one-shots before Christmas]





	1. Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hewwo everyone! We are back at it! Can you imagine that next month is the month Kingdom Hearts is released to the world? Compared to many, I haven't been expecting it for so long, but I am still so so sooo excited about this. We have been blessed with many trailers and will receive even more, which is amazing. Quite frankly, I would be fine with no more trailer, but I wouldn't say they are revealing us too much - they know their game better than we do and I trust there is more than meets the eye on many scenes we got to see.
> 
> About this fic now! This is an Advent Calendar, with a prompt a day till Christmas Eve on the 24th. I did one last year as well, if you want to check it, it is called 24 Hearts. The themes were given to me by SaphirActar on late October and I gave her some as well! Her prompts will be in French but if you read French, check her out! She'll be doing a Kingdom Hearts Calendar and a Dragon Quest one °w° Every chapter can be read as an independant story, so feel free to read whichever you want.
> 
> Spoilers level : These prompts can refer to anything that happened in the games from KH1 to Dream Drop Distance, including Union Cross. I have not played 0.2 and don't want to be spoiled so nothing about this game. I do not think any of these actually refer to something shown in any KH3 trailer, and anything Union X related refers to quests we had in the NA version, no JP spoilers. I cannot promise the reviews will be spoiler free, though. Last note, I heard that there could be some spoilers/leak on Reddit. I have not read them and don't want to hear about them, so I can promise nothing in there will be connected to these leaks - if that happens, this is only a coincidence.
> 
> With all that long potato post said, please enjoy the first one!

It was raining on that day, Ventus remembered. The final day. The day that took all of his friends away.

Just because they knew it would happen didn't make it any easier. It was written in the book. And they could do nothing to prevent this from happening.

He remembered the rain, and he remembered he thought that was a blessing. Rain, washing away all the blood. Rain, hiding the tears running down his cheeks. Rain, crashing so loudly on the dusty ground that it covered his desperate screams.

Back then, he expected to die, like everyone else. This war was taking everything from him, so why couldn't it take his life?

This war was so ironic. Children fighting for the same cause, and yet fighting each other. Children who grew up together, and ended up destroying one another. Ventus remembered that until that day, he had feared the Darkness. Darkness was bad, it created monsters who tried to hurt them. But on that fated day, Ventus realised Light was an even scarier thing, corrupting souls and corrupting minds.

Even within their group, even as leaders, things had started to go wrong. They started to fight like any other one. T _here is a traitor. He killed her to take her book. One of us shouldn't be here and we all know it._ They were all his friends and he had been heartbroken to see them suspect one another, looking for a traitor when he wanted to believe in all of them, crying for that girl who lost her life but not wanting to suspect anyone. They weren't even suspecting him. They had found their perfect traitor. He didn't want to listen to them.

He didn't die. Did they? He didn't know. After this war, his memories were blurry. He believed he never heard of any of them again, but he couldn't be sure. His next memories were of his times with Master Eraqus, Terra and Aqua. And these memories of ancient times had only came back because after years of sleep, the mind was running out of dreams, replacing them with memories instead.

Where were they know? If he survived, could they be roaming the worlds as well? How did _he_ even survive?

He couldn't remember. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember. Not their faces. Not their names. Not how he made it out of here.

The last thing he remembered of that day was the feeling of someone carrying him. Of a voice, soft, kind. Broken. _I didn't kill her, you know. I'm not the traitor. I swear._

_I know,_ he had gently answered, a whisper in his sleep. _I know. I trust you. I always will._

But the rain washed away his words, and it washed away his memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow's theme is Dragon!


	2. Dragon

When Master Eraqus woke up in the middle of the night, hearing a door creaking in the corridor, he automatically assumed it was Terra. There were nights when the boy was restless and would take some fresh air. It occasionally was Aqua, but this was a rarer occasion - she dreaded the dark too much to wander alone.

He thought it would be fine to leave the boy alone, and tried to fall asleep again - burglars were a non existent thing here and he wasn't worried - but he then heard hushed voices, and that caught his attention.

He carefully opened his door, and saw two tiny silhouettes in the distance - Terra, holding an oil lantern in a hand, and Aqua, holding his other hand, while clenching a pair of scissors in the other hand. Eraqus frowned. The kids had not noticed him, and he decided to follow them in silence.

"Where do you think it will be?" Aqua's voice was trembling.

"I don't know. Maybe under the castle? That would be the best place."

"This poor thing… I hope it's okay."

"Don't worry, Aqua, this is the night we're setting it free!"

Aqua nodded and the two of them kept walking, unaware of the presence in their back. They would sometimes stop, open a door, and gasp something like "Here too!" before closing the door and hurrying to the next one. Eraqus had no idea what they were onto, but he had to admit he was having fun, despite not liking Aqua walking so fast with scissors in her hand, or Terra with a flame.

They wandered through every corridor of the castle, obviously looking for a secret door somewhere that would lead them underground. Eraqus knew there was no such thing, and just watched them grow frustrated at every wall they inspected.

"Aqua, we got it all wrong!" suddenly gasped Terra. The little girl, getting sleepy, yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Have we? Terra, can we start looking again tomorrow? I'm really tired…"

"And leave it to its fate another night? You can go to bed, Aqua, but I'm staying!"

Aqua looked at the dark corridor (and almost saw her master) with terrified eyes, and squeezed Terra's hand. "I'm staying with you." He gave her a bright, comforting smile that melted Eraqus's heart. "It will be okay, Aqua. I promise."

"Now, explain to me. What did we get wrong?"

"Think. In all the books you read, where do they always keep it?"

It was Aqua's turn to gasp, putting her hand to cover her mouth. _She's putting these scissors way too close to her face_ , thought Eraqus, wary.

"The dungeon! Of course! It's in the highest tower! Oh, Terra, we have to hurry before the master wakes up!"

Eraqus had an amused smile, watching the two of them almost run to the stairs leading to the highest Tower - a place that he used to watch the stars and keep an eye on the worlds. The kids climbed the stairs, pushing the big wooden door to reveal a room with a desk buried under books and parchments. _Could use some cleaning up_ , Eraqus noted.

"It's not there." Aqua sounded disappointed, but Terra shook his head. "Of course it's hidden! There must be a secret passage. Maybe one of the books on the shelves will open it?"

Eraqus decided it was his cue to intervene before they'd remove every book from the shelves, and he cleared his throat.

"And what is it that I keep hidden in a secret room, exactly?" The kids jumped at his voice, terrified. Terra almost dropped the lantern, which would have resulted in a catastrophe ; luckily, he had the good reflex of not letting it go.

"Master Eraqus! It's not what… We didn't want to…"

"We know about the dragon and we want to set it free." Aqua said, staring defiantly at Eraqus. The Master, surprised, let out a laughter.

"The dragon? It seems you know more than I do, then. What dragon am I keeping captive?"

"No need to lie, we have proof!"

"Which are? And what are these scissors for, Aqua? It's dangerous. Put them down."

"It's to cut its chains, of course!"

Understanding the little girl was cross at him (for keeping an imaginary dragon captive), Eraqus turned to Terra.

"Terra, what makes you think there is a dragon there?"

"It's because of the fire, Master."

"The fire?"

"Yes. Every night, all the fireplaces are being lit at the same time, without anyone casting a spell. We talked about this with Aqua, and the only outcome is that there is a dragon held prisoner, who has to light them all up at the same time!"

Eraqus was speechless for a moment, before bursting into laughter, throwing his arms around the kids. "I'm sorry to disappoint, kids, but there is no dragon involved there. Just a spell to automatically put some fire into the fireplaces to keep the castle warm on cold days! How cruel do you think I am?"

"So… No prisoner? No animal cruelty?"

"No, Aqua. I promise. May I add that I've never seen a real dragon in my life? If I do, I'll be sure to properly introduce both of you to it."

Aqua finally relaxed, wrapping her arm around her Master, joining the hug. Eraqus tenderly smiled, ruffling their hair. It wasn't long until the little girl, exhausted, fell asleep.

"Terra, it's time for you to sleep as well."

"Yes, Master. I'm sorry."

Eraqus slid an amused look at the little boy. "You didn't believe there was a dragon, did you?"

The kid grinned. "I didn't, and when I told Aqua, I was joking. But she took it so seriously that I played along. It was fun!"

"Playing is nice, but next time, I'd like you not to bring anything sharp or dangerous. You could have been hurt."

"Yes, Master."

They had now reached the kids' rooms. "Good night, Terra. I'll allow both of you to start our lessons a bit later tomorrow, so that you can both get some proper rest, but don't make an habit out of it, okay?"

Terra gave him one last bright smile, before disappearing into his room. As Eraqus tucked Aqua into her bed, he started thinking about how he could build a big dragon toy the kids could play with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dwagon!  
> Gosh I loved writing with these two as kids once again. If you want to read more stories about these two as kiddos, I would recommend my fics "The Will to Protect" and "The Apology Book"!  
> Tomorrow's theme is Starlight~


	3. Starlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set a few days before KH1~

* * *

It was night, and the three of them were sitting on the sand, watching the sky sparkle with a million stars.

"Will we be friends forever?" Sora asked out of the blue, surprising them both.

"Of course we will!" Gasped Kairi.

"Trying to get rid of us already?" Chuckled Riku.

"My mother told me she wasn't close to her childhood friends anymore. She had some arguments with some of them, some moved out and she moved on. I don't want this to happen to us."

Riku bumped his best friend's shoulder. "Think about all we did together. Think about the raft! It will be ready really soon. And then we'll travel around the world. Do you really think that's something I'd do with someone who will not be my best friend forever?"

Kairi smiled gently, resting her head on Sora's other shoulder. "There's no other place I'd rather be than by your side. I know that feeling will be the same in a year, in ten or in fifty. How can you even think we'll ever be apart?"

Sora looked at them both dearly, his cheeks maybe a bit redder than usual. He cherished them so much, and he new it was stupid to doubt them ; he was just so terrified of the thought of losing them.

"Let's make a promise," he said as he jumped to his feet, facing them. "Let's promise to never fight. To always stay together. To never forget one another. Ever." The stars were shining bright, but not brighter than his eyes at this instant. This promise meant the world to him. And he meant the world to them.

"Of course. Besides, if we were to fight, we both know I'd win, don't we?" Riku blinked and Sora laughed. Kairi joined the laughed.

"Sora, I'd never forget about you, you know that. Of course I promise."

"Pinky Promise?"

"Pinky promise."

And they Pinky promised.

They would never fight.

They would never be apart.

They would never forget one another.

The stars bore witness to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh sweet, soft, cruel irony... But still, they thought the peace would last forever. I wonder what was their plan with the raft- how far did they want to go? I think we might never know...
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is Winter!


	4. Winter

This world was pretty. Or at least, so he thought. But this world was also terribly cold, the snow covering everything from the streets to the roofs. The black coat was Darkness-proof, but definitely not Freezing-Winter-Proof. Demyx could barely feel his fingers again. He looked around for a safe place to hide and doze off. There! A library? No matter the weather, if there was one thing he knew, it was that libraries always made the best places to hide and doze off. He pushed the heavy wooden door. The place was quiet, as expected. The librarian was nowhere to be found. Demyx could understand. Who would steal books anyway? It's not like they were anything interesting. Most of them didn't even have pictures. Demyx quickly closed the door behind him, keeping the cold away, and hurried to a very comfy chair somewhere. The place was empty, and, using a thick book as a pillow (his comfort standards were really low), he quickly fell asleep.

He woke up to someone gently tapping on his shoulder. Groggy, he opened his eyes, to be face-to-face with a lovely lady frowning at him.

"Yo. What's up?" He groaned, trying to wake from his very pleasant dream in which he had just been fired and was allowed to live his life as he wanted.

"You were drooling." She gave him a disapproving look, and he shot her his brightest smile.

"No worries, Miss, I do that all the time. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"You were drooling on the _book_ ," she corrected herself. "What if you damage it?"

He glanced at the volume. "Who would read that anyway?" This was obviously a bad answer as her frown just increased.

"I would. It would be easier without someone sleeping on it, however."

Understanding she meant _him_ , Demyx pushed the book towards her.

"There you go. I'm done with it. Careful, it's a bit boring at first, but it gets better afterwards."

She laughed. He wasn't expecting this, and smiled at her. "I hope I didn't damage it. What's it about?"

"It is the quest of four brave people, traveling the world and facing many dangers, in order to destroy one dangerous artifact that can only bring war and desolation."

"That looks scary."

She shook her head, her eyes sparkling. "It's not! This is a story of friendship, of trust. Sure, there are some sad moments, some scary ones. The characters will doubt, they will lose hope, but they never give up. They meet many new friends along the road and they all share an incredible fate. They get to live so many adventures. I envy them." She suddenly blushed. "I'm sorry, I got carried away, I didn't mean to bother you."

This time, it was his turn to shake his head, laughing. "Never apologize for talking about something you enjoy. I'm not into books, but that looks fun. Hey, I know! What book would you recommend for someone like me who doesn't read much? I'd like something with a story easy to understand."

She tilted her head, her index tapping her cheek, thinking. That was cute. He could see she was really trying to find something for him. After a moment, her face lit up. "I know something!" She disappeared between the shelves, only to come back with a small book.

"How about this one? There are several volumes, so if you enjoy the first one, you can read the other ones as well! This is the story of a young boy, an orphan, who learns that he is fated to accomplish great things. He is sent to a school with many other children like him, and he discovers a whole new world he never heard of before."

"Is it good?"

"I really liked it. I hope you will as well."

Demyx took the book, turning the pages. No pictures. But at least, the font was fairly big. Maybe he'd give it a go, on his next slacking off mission.

"I'll be sure to let you know." He winked at her, and she smiled. Now that was a smile he liked. Not many people smiled to him nowadays. No one, actually. For such a smile, he could accept to read a book.

"Please do. I have to go, my father will be waiting for me. But let's meet again!"

Demyx bowed his head. "It will be a pleasure, Miss. Careful not to slip on that snow!" But she was gone already, the door closing behind her.

Demyx chuckled. It had been a while since he had an actual conversation with someone. And so long since he saw a smile. She was so different from the Organization. Realising that he had be sent here for a mission, Demyx hoped she wasn't the target. She didn't deserve it.

Putting his head back on the table, ready for another nap, Demyx realised he never asked her her name. That was for the best.

That way, _they_ would never have the idea to hurt her.

His mysterious book lady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just like last year, Saphir and I gave each other a few challenges along the themes, one of them being a ship! She gave me Demyx/Belle, so here it is. I don't think they would actually get along so well, mostly because they wouldn't share many common grounds ; however Demyx would be so proud of her bodying Xaldin like that in KH2! It was fun writing with these two!
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is Lion :3 Rawr!


	5. Lion

"Do I really have to do this assignment? This is so unfair, Aerith! I want to help everyone!"

"Yuffie, you're helping us all a lot already. But your education matters as well! What's your essay about?"

"We have to talk about what is our spirit animal, and why. But I have no idea."

"How about you ask everyone around? That could help!"

"Right! What would be yours, Aerith?"

Aerith smiled, thinking. "A dove, probably. I would be able to fly really high and see how beautiful the world is from above. Doves are a symbol of peace, and there's nothing I aspire more than that." She didn't say it, but Yuffie could see it. There was something more. If she flew high enough, maybe she'll be able to see everyone. To find someone. To locate the one.

"I'm going to ask everyone!" Yuffie grinned, trying to cheer Aerith up. The Flower girl chuckled, nodding, and Yuffie was off.

* * *

"An animal? A bear. That way people won't bother me for dumb things." If Cid meant _her_ , she pretended not to notice.

"But you're already a bear, Cid. A hairy grumpy one but with a heart as soft as a Teddy Bear!" Cid cursed between his teeth, aiming and missing on purpose at Yuffie with tools ; but as she escaped, laughing, he was smiling too.

* * *

"Leon, Leon, can I bother you?"

"Don't you always?"

Yuffie pouted. "Why are you all so mean with me? I'm here for school. I need some help."

"Help? With school work? Have you asked Aerith, or Cid? I don't think I can…"

"It's not maths or anything like that. It's an essay. I need to know what your spirit animal would be."

"My spirit… animal?"

"Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Leon?" Leon was obviously lost in one of his endless mental monologue. Yuffie rolled her eyes, snapping her fingers in front of him.

"Oh. Right. That would be… A wolf, I guess."

"A wolf? That's far from what I expected. Why is that?"

"Wolves are solitary, but they also care about the pack. They just need some time and peace for themselves. That is something I truly respect."

"Wow, that's deep! Thanks!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Okay, I'm leaving now! See you later!" Leaving him to his internal monologue, Yuffie tried to find one last person. Spotting some blonde hair in the distance, she smiled. Here was her last target.

* * *

"Cloud, I need you to answer without thinking! What's your spirit animal?"

"The Lion."

"The Li-What? Why? Do you wish to rule us all?" Coming from someone as dark, as solitary as Cloud, she would have expected another wolf. Maybe an owl. A night creature. But clearly not a Lion.

"I'm a Leo."

Yuffie's shoulders collapsed. She had expected a deeper reason, but coming from Cloud, it kinda made sense.

"Oh. I… I see."

"That's not the answer you wanted."

"It's not that, it's just… Everyone had some real reasons. Why they felt connected to their animal."

"Oh." Cloud frowned, and Yuffie could tell he was uneasy. Just like Leon, he wasn't that comfortable with people - he probably was even less. Leon was less talkative, but he had his ways with people. If anything, he was the lion, Cloud the wolf. Yuffie giggled, thinking about how they were each other's spirit animal.

"Lions are… strong?" Cloud offered, nervous. Yuffie smiled at him. "That's a very decent reason, Cloud. Thank you. I need to go back and write my essay, now!"

She ran away, allowing Cloud to breathe.

* * *

"Did you find some useful information, Yuffie?"

"I think I did. Thanks to everyone, I know exactly what kind of animal I am."

"Oh, what could that be?" Aerith poured some tea in Yuffie's cup.

"I want to be a chimera! A wolf's head, a lion's body, some strong bear paws and beautiful bird wings. It's just as Sora would say. _My friends are my power_. You guys are my spirit animal. All of you."

Aerith put down the kettle and wrapped her arms around Yuffie. "And as such, we won't ever let anything happen to you, Yuffie. It's our role, as totems."

Yuffie closed her eyes, thinking of the only family she ever knew. Maybe the teacher will be mad at her for her invented animal. But she couldn't think of anything more fitting than that one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLOUD IS ACTUALLY A LEO AND THAT WAS THE COINCIDENCE I NEEDED IN MY LIFE
> 
> When I started writing this, I tried to find a dumb reason for Cloud to chose the lion, and I thought about how cool that would be if he was a leo AND HE WAS AAAAAAAH
> 
> Next theme is Wound!


	6. Wound

It felt like being stabbed. Again. And again. Every day, every night. There was no way one could get used to that. He was living with it. He had been, for a decade. And he still wasn't used to it.

Sometimes, it was burning. Burning like his hate, like his anger. There was a fire in his body, a fire he couldn't put down, a fire he had to fight to avoid screaming.

Some other times, it was freezing. Freezing like his loneliness, like his sadness. No matter what he did, he could never get warm, all he could do was hide how much he was shaking.

One way or another, he was always in pain. When he woke up. When he fought. When he slept. Sleeping was the worst, as pain was doubled with nightmares that woke him up in tears more than once.

They said Magic could heal anything. A Cure would heal a bruise. A Cura would heal a cut. A Curaga would heal a deep cut. But what spell would heal his wound?

His heart had been torn apart years ago. His soul split in half. Who he used to be was no more, he was just the shadow of a missing Light, just a lost soul whose heart had been cut, shred into pieces, crushed.

Even time itself hadn't been enough to heal such a deep wound.

As he put his helmet on, he realised that the wound might just be too deep, and that there was no hope for him. He was broken beyond repair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give this boi a hug, please.
> 
> Next theme will be Train~


	7. Train

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note : this is an Earth AU ;)

"Hey, Roxas? Let's take the train and go. Just the two of us."

"Huh?" Xion's words felt familiar, and yet, he was sure she never said it before. He couldn't tell whether she was serious or not. She was staring at the ceiling, slouching on her chair. She had her hood on, which often was a sign of a bad mood. She might be serious.

"Where would we go?" He wasn't saying no, but he wasn't accepting either. She balled her fists, sighing.

"I don't know. Anywhere else. Wherever we want. In a place where we can finally find peace."

"But what about Axel?"

"Yeah, what about me? Don't leave me behind just like that, Xion."

Roxas jumped, turning around to see Axel leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. How long had he been there?

"You can't come with us, Axel." Xion sounded sad. "You have all of your life here. Your job. Your parents. You've got Saïx. Roxas and I have nothing to lose."

Axel frowned. "First things first, you have something to lose. _Me_. And I don't want to lose either of you, let alone _both_ of you. Sure, Roxas's parents are living in a different state, but what about you? Don't you have family around as well?"

Xion didn't answer. Axel came forward, taking a seat next to them. "That's what it's all about, isn't it? Are things bad at home again?" Another silence. Roxas gently took her hand.

"You know you can tell us. If there's anything we can do…"

She shrugged. "Just the usual. I'm tired of home. I want to see some other places. That's it."

Roxas squeezed her hand with a soft smile. They knew how hard life had been for Xion. She was a child born from an affair, and had been raised by her mother. However, when she passed away a year ago, she had been sent to live with her father, Vexen, and stepbrother, Zexion, and none of them cared about her. The only good thing about her moving in with them was that she got to meet Axel and Roxas in this high school. But she hated her home, and she hated everything about it, and it was no secret that she dreamt of the day she could leave the place.

"You know what, Xion? You're right. Let's jump into a train and get out of here. Right now."

"What?" Xion finally sat up, staring at Axel. He smiled and winked, taking her hand and Roxas's.

"Let's go."

* * *

He took them to his car, drove them to the train station. He never explained himself, despite Roxas and Xion asking several times.

"He's probably joking," Roxas whispered as Axel walked away to get tickets.

"Isn't that joke going a bit too far, though?" Xion answered, worried. But as Axel came back with three tickets in hand, they gasped. That was no joke.

"All aboard, the train will depart soon! Hurry!" He hurried them towards a train waiting at the station, shoving them inside before they could even see where it was going.

* * *

"Where are we going, Axel?" Roxas asked for the hundredth time.

"Are we leaving for good? I haven't packed anything, we can't just leave like that!"

"Gee, you kids are so noisy! You'll thank me later. For now, let the old man take a nap." He crossed his arms, getting himself comfy in his seat and dozed off right away. Xion and Roxas exchanged a worried look - but there was nothing they could do about it now.

* * *

"Our train is arriving at its destination. Please mind the gap when alighting."

They still had no idea where they were. The city name wasn't familiar. The trip had been rather short, barely an hour. Axel yawned, stretched, and smiled at them. "Wow, we there yet? Time flies when you take a nap! Let's go!" As soon as they exited the station, he turned back to them, a mischievous spark in his eyes. "Do you trust me? I'm going to ask you both to take my hand and to close your eyes. Do exactly as I say, I don't want either of you to get hit by a truck or something. Deal?" They nodded, obediently closing their eyes, nervous.

He guided them for around ten minutes, until he came to a stop.

"Ok, there's a bench behind you. Sit. Don't open your eyes till I come back, I won't be long. No cheating!"

They heard him running away. "Roxas… Where do you think we are?"

"I don't know."

"I kind of want to open my eyes, but…"

"Same. It wouldn't be fair. Let's wait for Axel."

Axel came back soon enough. "Ok, show me your hands now. There, I put something in it. Hold tight. You ready? Then you can open your eyes."

They did, slowly, carefully. And they were breathtaken.

They were sitting on a bench facing a tiny beach. There was no one around, and it was so peaceful. The wind carried the sound of the waves away, which was why they couldn't hear it. The sun was setting, giving a reddish hue to everything around. It really was beautiful. They were holding a turquoise ice-cream, one they had never seen before.

"Axel, this is…"

"Sea salt ice-cream. Welcome to Clocktown, a lovely tiny village with a beautiful seesight, their own ice-cream flavour, and arguably the best place on Earth. Saïx and I used to come a lot around with our parents when we were younger. I don't know any better place to relax and forget about anything wrong."

Xion rested her head on Roxas's shoulder, sitting in the middle. "It's wonderful. Thank you, Axel."

"Let's come here everytime you feel down. Let's come here so you can forget about everything that upsets you, and only remember the good times. This haven is only a train away."

Roxas smiled at Xion, leaving the lightest of kisses on her hair. "And we'll always be there for you."

They stayed there, all three of them, staring at the sea and eating their salty, but sweet too, ice cream, until night fell.

And everytime one of them felt wrong, sad, or angry, they would meet there.

On their bench in Clocktown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we are. No matter the timeline or the universe, they need their safe place. A place belonging to them only.
> 
> Next time will be all about "Race". What race could we be talking about?


	8. Race

They had dreamt of this moment for so long. Waited for days, months, years, until the day would come. They day had come. The day was now.

"Terra…"

"Aqua."

Their first move had been to throw their arms around Ventus, hugging him so tight he had to ask them to eventually let go. They had introduced themselves to everyone. But they had escaped each other's gaze until now.

They were facing each other, suddenly awkward, suddenly at loss of what to do. Aqua's heart was racing in her chest, but racing against what? Against Terra's, probably beating as fast as hers? They had so much to tell each other. So much they wanted to say, but their minds were completely blank now. All they could do was stare at each other. Notice how little had changed, how much had changed. The glimmer of silver in their hair, even when it had returned to its original colour. The wrinkles of pain and worry at the corners of their eyes that would stay there forever. Some battle scars tattooed on their skins. The innocence of youth gone forever from their eyes.

"Aqua, I-"

"Terra, listen-"

They had both gathered the courage to speak, but spoke at the same time and stopped, embarrassed. Who should speak first? Terra was willing to let Aqua go first, of course, but she didn't want to interrupt him either. And now a brand new awkward silence had settled.

"For Light's sake," grumbled Ventus, "won't you two kiss already? How long have you been waiting for that?"

They both gasped, wide-eyed, their faces flushing.

"Ven, you can't force Aqua to…"

"I'm sure Terra doesn't want to…"

They stopped once again, staring at each other with awe. They took a deep breathe in.

"I do. I really do." Their voices were just one. And so were their hearts, as they ran into each other's arms, their lips meeting at last after years of longing, the only conclusion they would have allowed.

And in their chests, their hearts would keep on racing.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ven #1 Terraqua shipper
> 
> Tomorrow's prompt is titled "Echo"!'echo...'choo...'oooo..."  
> (yes I even copy and paste my terrible jokes I am sorry)


	9. Echo

Who was he? That was an easy question. He was no one. He was a broken copy, born from two hearts, taking one's name, one's appearance. Unlike the others, he had no past. Unlike the others, he had no future. He was but an echo of what had been, of what would be. He knew it now.

There was no one to miss him. No one to remember him. What would be the point anyway? What did he achieve, in his short, miserable life? He wasn't one to be remembered. He had been a tool. He had been a fool.

He had some dear memories of his own. A best friend. But were they really friends? Hadn't he been just a replacement, for the one that used to be his best friend's best friend? He didn't know who to trust anymore. He couldn't see why anyone would regard him as a friend.

He was a blade, he was blades, and that had been his only purpose. How silly of him to believe that he could have a proper life. Collect hearts. This was the reason they allowed him to exist, and nothing else. Just another puppet to the collection. They never talked to him except if they really had to.

If he had cared about whether what he was doing was right or wrong, maybe things could have been different. Maybe it would have mattered. But puppets never ask questions, and he didn't. The only thing he could feel about what he did before was guilt. Shame. He had just brought the end of the world a bit closer. And that's not even what he was ashamed of. No, the shame came from the relief of knowing he wouldn't be there to watch it. To see the consequences of what he had done.

It was finally time to go. Time to leave this world in which he had never been wanted, a world in which nobody cared about him. It was better this way. He was better off not remembered. He never deserved this life that had been given to him. This face belonged to Ventus. This name belonged to Sora.

Roxas was just an echo, doomed to vanish no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's switch to a whole different topic tomorrow with the theme 'Mom' ~*
> 
> (there's a trailer coming out in a bit less than 5 hours and I'm excited, I wonder what it will be about!)


	10. Mom

"You know who I am, don't you, Sora?"

The Mysterious Figure was standing in front of him, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood. The coat looked like the ones they wore at the Organization XIII, but somehow looked a bit different. More… Ancient.

"I know who you are." Aqua said sternly. "I read about you. My Master told me a bit about the old legends, as well… You are the Master of Masters, aren't you?"

The figure clapped with his gloved hands. "Bingo! Ten points for the young lady there! Mom is a name I often answer to!"

"But how can you be alive?" Sora frowned. "You lived a century ago, didn't you?"

"That is also correct! I'm glad to see you've been paying attention to your lessons, Sora. You've been skipping class for a while, but at least you still are knowledgeable about the history of time itself!"

"But-"

"As to _how_ I am alive," the Master interrupted Sora, "the thing is I played with things I shouldn't have a long time ago, and POOF, I gained immortality! Well, not immortality itself, but reincarnation, boring stuff, let's not go into the details! Ever heard of Doctor Who? Ah, wrong world, wrong world, don't mind me."

"I hope I'm not being rude, but… If you were alive, where have you been all this time, then?" Riku was still wary of this stranger facing them. The Master was smaller than he expected. He was smaller than him, probably even a bit smaller than Sora. This was a bit far from the idea he had of the great Master of Masters.

"That is an excellent question, Riku! You've always been a smart one. See, living for so long is quite boring. I enjoy watching humanity evolve, but I sometimes just seek some quiet. When I reincarnated into this life, I decided I wanted to try a normal life for once. No light, no darkness, just a quiet little ordinary life. I even ignored all that my eyes saw." He sighed. "I guess I should have looked more carefully, though. But what brought me here today isn't that war. It isn't about Light and Darkness."

"Then what is it?" asked Sora, frowning. There was something familiar in the way the Master spoke.

"I think it's time for me to reveal my face… Or should I say, this reincarnation's face. That's great, this coat has been muffling and distorting my voice for ever!"

He slowly let the hood fall down on his shoulder, leaving everyone gasping. For most of them, the fact that _he_ was instead a _she_ was the biggest surprise. But to Sora and Riku, the surprise was even greater.

"I told you Mom was a name I answered to. And I came here to bring you home, Sora. That dinner is getting cold, and I won't hear a single excuse about saving the universe - you are eating your peas no matter what, and Xehanort will wait. Riku, love, you're always welcome at home, you know. Thank you for keeping an eye on my son. Now, Sora, it's time to go. And you are grounded for _at least_ a year, you hear me?"

* * *

"MOM NO!"

"Sora? Sora! Everything alright?"

Sora was panting, feverish, in his bed in the Mysterious Tower. Riku had rushed in, keyblade in hand, ready to defend his best friend. Sora looked at him, his eyes full of tears.

"Sora, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Sora nodded. "I can't even tell if that dream was a sign of me missing my parents… Or of me not wanting to go home. Riku, our parents are going to _slaughter_ us for leaving for so long."

"What's gotten into you, Sora? I'm sure they are impatient to see us again."

"One last thing, Riku. I don't want to ever hear about the Master of Masters again. _Ever_."

"What exactly was that nightm-" But Sora had fallen asleep again, curled into a ball. Riku chuckled, and shoved his best friend on the other side of the bed, sleeping next to him.

Sora sure looked like he had one terrible nightmare. But Riku would never forget that disturbing dream of his, in which crazy girls he didn't know kept on asking him if he was dating Mickey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even sorry. Not for the obvious dumb joke. And especially not for the MickeyRiku.  
> Tomorrow will all be about "Burn"! Time for some heat, don't you think?


	11. Burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you dig through this pile of papers you gathered across your adventures, you find this file with a big red "CONFIDENTIAL" on it. Twelve pieces of papers are inside this file...

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°I_

A heart. Is there anything more intricate, more mysterious than that? There actually is one thing that interests me more than a single heart, and that is Kingdom Hearts. Once Kingdom Hearts is complete, no question will be left unanswered. That is for this reason that I created this Organization, whose goal is to complete Kingdom Hearts. All our hard work shall be rewarded some day.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°II_

Being with strong people will always lead to interesting situations. I have never hidden, and will never hide, that I will side with whoever is stronger. My reason to be in the Organization? I have gladly given up my heart for some entertainment. I don't care about a heart. It's all about the fun. And I must say that this past decade sure has brought a lot of fun.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°III_

How did it feel, back when we still had a heart? I cannot remember. While I can remember having a life before losing it, I can't recall properly what that felt like. This is why I'm here. I want to remember. I want to understand. No matter what it costs.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°IV_

Was my thirst for knowledge too big? If you asked me that before, I would have told you that knowledge was worth every sacrifice. But now there are days I wonder. I have learnt a lot, and keep on learning even more. I am working on projects bigger than I would have ever dreamt of, and this is the reason I am staying here. But I wonder if it was necessary to bring that many people down with us…

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°V_

I have no real reason to work for the Organization, but I have no reason to go anywhere else. I am incomplete, for reasons I cannot quite remember. We have been told that Kingdom Hearts was the key to be complete again. Whether that is true or not, I shall find out. There's no point for me to go anywhere else.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°VI_

I used to dislike this place. To fear it. Ask my younger self and he would have told he dreamt of running away. But now that I am older, I can understand how grand our plan is. We might be able to understand the true nature of a heart, understand what makes us different from monsters. Isn't this great? The Superior trusts me to find answers, and I will. I cannot wait for Kingdom Hearts to be complete, so that I can examine it… And get my heart back.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°VII_

Since I joined the Organization, my motive has never changed : I am here by faith. Although this faith might have changed throughout the years, I will not give up on who I am, and I will stay true to my motives. Kingdom Hearts is the Superior's goal, and therefore it is mine as well. I cannot imagine being anywhere else. The Organization is the only place I need to be.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°VIII_

Oh, I know way too well why I'm still there, after all this time. First, the beds are high quality. Until you get to experience _the_ mattress, you won't know how heavenly naps are. Then, the food is pretty good. I get to have my share of ice-creams and there's not much to complain about. Workmates are okay most of the time, although some are more annoying than others. If it were only about me, I wouldn't care about Kingdom Hearts. I can live without a heart. But it ain't just about me, is it? I refuse to let _him_ without one…

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°IX_

Why wouldn't I stay here? Of course, I'm getting bullied here and then, but it's never anything too serious, and I get to slack off in the most amazing places ever. All it takes is a bit of recon and some quickly done reports no one (hopefully) will ever read. I could live with that! The others usually just ignore me, but we sometimes have fun too. Once I get my heart back, I wonder if we'll keep on working together?

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°X_

Life is a game, and I like a good gamble. By joining this Organization, I bet this could lead to interesting events. I haven't been proven wrong this far. It appears there are many worlds beside my own, and while I am not keen on using violence, I enjoy seeing how people will gather around to fight the Darkness. I am aware that our doings aren't exactly good, and I am curious to see if we will ever complete Kingdom Hearts, or if we will be stopped before that.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°XI_

I would like my motives as a member of this Organization to remain confidential. All I can say is that I am looking for certain things and this is the fastest way to get to them. I have some wrong deeds to amend, and I do not really mind doing some more for that. I seek power, an ancient power known nowadays by only a few. I have high interests in that, and I do hope that one day, these goals will be reached.

* * *

_Organization XIII secret report - Entry n°XII_

I hate this world. I always hated it. When I joined the Organization, they offered me power, to get my revenge on this world I hate so much. I'm going to make it pay. To make every single one of them pay. A brand new heart? Keep it, I don't want it. Sometimes, you just want to see the world burn. And trust me, burn it will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These last sentences were my starting point for this fic. I kinda wanted to make it completely Larxene centered, but it the end I decided to focus on why everyone one them stayed in the Organization.
> 
> Tomorrow is Yesterday and yes, that makes sense!


	12. Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaalriiiight this one requires a bit of context first. One of our challenges was to write a fic happening in an AU written by the other. I decided to focus this fic on Saphir's Hercules AU, in which Aqua is Megara, princess and daughter of Yen Sid, Zack is her former love and Terra is Hercules. If you can read French, it's called "Dans l'ombre du héros", go check it out :D

Oh, life used to be so much fun. She woke up every morning with a smile on her lips, wondering what present he had managed to sneak on her window in the middle of the night. Sometimes, it was flowers. Shiny stones. Colourful feathers. Sweets. He once had left a bottle of wine, and she had scolded him for that. He once had left a puppy, and she had gotten scolded for that.

But these were things of the past, and now there was no more present by her window. The guards weren't looking at her with their amused smile as she walked passed them, well aware that an intruder left a present and ran away every night. And the familiar Troy hero wasn't waiting for her by the palace door every morning, a grin on his face that would make her heart skip a beat everytime.

"Ah, Aqua, good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"I did, Father. Thank you for your concern." Yen Sid looked at his daughter with a pained smile. It had been almost a month, now, but nothing seemed to lift her mood.

There was just too much in the city that reminded the Princess of her lover. The only one she ever really loved. The only one she would ever love.

She forced herself outside. She needed some fresh air. The sun was already high in the sky, and it was a clear day. She wished for rain. She wished it would rain every day until the end of times.

This street was the place they met for the first time. She had ran away, tired of endless political lessons, and was trying to escape the guards when a hand grabbed hers, dragging her through tiny alleys until the guards lost sight of her. He had known right away who she was. She had known right away she loved him.

In the distance, she could see the forest where he asked for her hand. Of course, one couldn't marry a princess just like that, but he refused to ask the King until he was sure she was willing to marry him. She couldn't picture a life without him. This was now her everyday life.

That man running right there, the royal messenger, had been the one to bring the grim news. Her hero was no more, defeated by the One Winged Titan. Her world smashed into pieces. The wedding was planned on the following week. Her dress and her veil were still in her room.

And there, this small altar was where she prayed Hades. Begged for his mercy. Stepped into the Underworld to ask the God of the Dead to save her hero. How stupid of her to believe the sly god would accept. She thought her soul was the price to pay, but it had been much worse than that.

Tired of her walk, tired of remembering, she walked back to the palace, going straight to her room. She had some paper and a quill ready. With a sigh, she took the paper. It was time to start her letter.

_Dear Zack. How are you? I wish I knew where you were. It's already been a month now. This is the 28th letter that I've sent to you, but I don't even know where to send them anymore. I really hope that this final letter that I'm writing gets to you. By the way, our puppy has grown a lot. He makes everyone so happy, thanks to you, Zack. -Aqua_

She looked at her letter, and piled it with the 27 others. There was no sense to these letters, and she knew it. She never sent any. And she knew exactly where to send them. Hades gave her Zack back, but without his memories- and he was now happily in love with a Cretan priestess, Aerith. She knew she was just pretending with these letters.

But her decision was made. This would be her last letter. Thinking of what happened yesterday was painful, and it was time to move forward. Throwing her letters outside, for the wind to scatter them, she finally wondered what good thing tomorrow might bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That letter brought many painful memories, oof. It was really fun writing in an AU I did not create, and I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Tomorrow is 'Birthday'! Get the cake ready~


	13. Birthday

"Happy Birthday, Naminé!"

Naminé stopped drawing, lifting her head. She was alone in the room. She was used to that voice only she could hear - whether this was a perk or a curse about being a witch.

"Birthday?"

"Yeah! Today is your first birthday, isn't it? You started to exist exactly a year ago. I don't have much else to do, so I kept counting! I wish we could share a cake, aaah…"

Naminé smiled. She liked her invisible friend. She couldn't see him, but he always sounded so expressive.

"What is a birthday, exactly? Is that a special day?"

"What? You don't know? Well, a birthday is a celebration of the day you came to this world! People celebrate it in your honour, because they are grateful of the time spent together."

"Is that so… I don't think anyone is happy I exist, I'm afraid." She wasn't even sad. This was just a fact. No one ever cared about her. Most of the time, they even ignored her if they were in the same room. It was okay. She was used to it.

"Don't say that! I am happy you exist! I have been alone for so long… I'm so happy you are here now. And that you can hear me! My body is sleeping, but my mind was bored. I wish we could meet for real."

Her friend often pretended he lived in here. That he had been living here for more years than he could remember. But that he was hidden behind a door that was locked with a special spell, and that door was hidden to pretty much everyone. She wanted to believe him, but at the same time, she had never heard of such a door - and he wouldn't tell her his name, because he feared it might get her into troubles. She imagined him more like a ghost, haunting the castle - maybe she was right.

"I'm grateful you're here too." She smiled. "You're the only friend that I have. Thank you for being here with me."

"Hey, we can't have cake, but maybe you can draw one? Meanwhile, I'll sing you a birthday song! You can even add both of us to the drawing. It will be just as if we were together for real."

Naminé giggled, nodding. She started drawing a huge cake, wondering why she knew how a cake looked like when she never had any. She drew one candle on the top of it, then herself next to it, before stopping.

"I have an issue." Her friend stopped singing (it was at least the 5th time he sang the song, but she didn't mind). "I would love to draw you, but... I don't know what you look like."

"Oh, I see! Well, let me give you a short description, then!"

She drew as he described, and by the end of her drawing, she was pretty satisfied with how it looked.

"I'm sure it looks amazing. Well done! Even though I didn't do anything, consider this my present from me to you! Happy Birthday, Naminé."

Hearing some voices that could only come from the Organization, she didn't have the chance to answer. But she carefully folded the paper, holding it close to where her heart should be. This was the best birthday ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funnily, today is my mother's birthday, quite the coincidence! I guess Naminé will be back in KH3, I wonder what role she'll have to play.
> 
> Tomorrow will be about 'Time'


	14. Time

Time. What a marvelous and complex concept. For some people, time is linear. Some believe that time splits into different directions at every choice made. Some say that time is circular, an endless cycle of reincarnations.

To me, time is absolute. Time is everywhere. Time is neither a line or a circle, time is a cloud full of raindrops, and I stand in the middle of that. No up, no down, nor right or left. Past, present and future coexist, surround me, and there is no difference between them.

Having such knowledge can be seen as a gift. Never have I been surprised by the rain, never have I forgotten a birthday. Never has anyone been able to get rid of me.

But time is absolute. Once you are aware of your fate, there is no escape. All I can do is guide people, like a shepherd trying to bring them to safety, but I know their future cannot be avoided. Some of you might find it hard to believe, but knowing fate doesn't mean I'm not heartbroken.

Heartbroken I have to pretend there is a traitor among my apprentices, so that they will start fighting each other - if they hate each other, they will not miss each other as much when the final day comes.

Heartbroken to see a war breaking among _children_ \- they should be sharing ice-cream on the beach, and yet someday they will have to kill one another.

Heartbroken to see how grim the future is - the path my apprentice's apprentice's apprentice has chosen is a dark one, and even though I always knew, it still pains me to watch.

Time is everything, and yet, nothing is set in stone. I have eyes everywhere, literally, but there might still be things escaping my gaze, things that would change my way of interpreting things, had I seen them.

That is why I keep all my eyes wide open. I dare not even blink. I don't want to miss a thing. Will Light expire, or will it prevail? Will this box of mine finally be opened, its content released to the world?

I know the answer to these questions already. But you don't. Have no worries, though.

_Time will tell_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first of the 24 I wrote! The Mom is such a mysterious character.
> 
> Next theme: Belief!


	15. Belief

I've always believed in him. I like to think he believed in me too. When we were kids and people said I was a bad influence, he stayed by my side. He'd always be there for me. And I'd always be there for him.

There is no way of telling how much faith I have in him. He stood for me when nobody would. He got grounded for me. He got hurt for me.

He lost his heart for me.

Even though he has changed with time, and even though our friendship doesn't matter to him anymore, I don't mind. He's still my best friend. I still love him, I still care about him.

Even if that means taking difficult decisions.

I thought he was gone too far for me to bring him back. I must confess that I might have lost hope for a while. I thought they had made him a puppet with titanium strings that I couldn't cut. But the day he showed some obvious jealousy over my new best friends, it hit me hard. He was still there. He was fighting. He was begging me to keep on believing. And I felt so bad for almost having given up on him.

Being with them, training with the Guardians of Light almost feels like betraying him. How can I be there for him if I'm not even by his side? I hope he knows that all I'm doing is for him. Maybe not _only_ for him, but there are so many people to save. Xehanort took all I had from me. Everything. My home. My world. My family. My friends.

I won't let him take anything else. I intend to get them all back.

So, Isa, if you're there somewhere, if you can hear me, just wait for me. Because I trust you, and I know you trust me, and I will save you.

Just you wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was pretty short, but I love focusing on their relationship. That's the kind of bromance I live for. Let them finally be together Q_Q
> 
> Tomorrow is all about the Ocean!
> 
> (note: there are some leaks around. Be careful. I won't cover them, I won't look at them, and please leave me out of this. Thank you :) )


	16. Ocean

"What do you think it feels like?"

"What do you mean?"

"The ocean. The beach. Freedom. I wonder how it's like." Naminé put her crayon down, looking by the window with a smile. There was no ocean to see, and yet she could almost picture it. The boy was standing next to her, confused;

"I don't know. I've never thought about it before." She giggled, and he relaxed a bit. He liked it when she laughed. It was something rare to witness.

"Although I've never been there for real, I have memories of it. From Sora. But if I know how it looks like, I don't know how it feels like. Do you realise that neither of us even felt wind against our skin? Heard a single bird sing? There's such a colourful world out there, and we are trapped on a monochrome one. I want to see it all, Neo."

Neo. The name left a soft feeling in his chest. It was the name she had chosen for him, when all he had been called what _the puppet_ , _the replica_. The closer he ever had to a name had been _Riku_ , but it wasn't _his_ name. Until she chose one for him. He smiled back at her, taking a seat at their table. They didn't often have time together, without the Organization members. He cherished every single one of these moments.

"I would say the waves would tickle your feet in a very unpleasant way. The water would try to drag you down. The scorching sand will burn your feet, the sun your skin. Gigantic fish and sea monsters will swim after you, trying to get a bite. I'm sure it's a dangerous place, so don't be sad about it. You're not missing on anything."

"What about the birds, then?"

"Sharp beaks, ready to peck on you."

"And the wind?"

"Powerful gushes trying to make you fall."

"But what about the fruits?"

"They're usually too sour or ripe. It will upset your stomach."

She kept on smiling, but she looked a bit sad now, her eyes drifting on her colourful drawings of oceans she never saw. He sighed.

"No matter what I say, you will keep on thinking about it, won't you, Naminé?"

"It's just… I want to know how it all feels like. That's it."

She didn't look happy anymore, and he didn't want her to suffer. He offered her a smile. "I have an idea. Give me twenty minutes. I'll be right back."

He ran off before she could answer. After a while, his head popped through the door. "I want you to close your eyes. Please. Promise you won't open them."

"Neo, what are you…"

"Promise."

"Fine. I promise." She closed her eyes and heard him coming inside the room. She heard a _thud_ , as if he dropped something heavy on the floor. He moved her chair so that she wouldn't face the table. She could feel his hands close to her feet, very gently taking her shoes off. She felt something on her feet that was strange at first, until she realised he had put her feet into some water - a basin, perhaps. There was something on the bottom of the water, and she gasped, as she plunged her toes in it "Is this.. sand?"

He chuckled. "I'm sorry, this is no real ocean, but I did my best. You said you wanted to hear the birds humming and feel the wind on your skin, but that's all I have to offer…"

Instead of the birds, he started humming himself. Instead of the wind caressing her skin, he softly let his fingers graze her arms. She shivered, but said nothing, a smile drawn on her lips.

"I'm sorry I can't take you to the ocean, Naminé. I hope that one day, we'll go together."

As his fingers brushed over her hand, she took them, locking them with hers, opening her eyes to look at him.

"It's alright, Neo. Even if we don't go… as long as you are by my side, I have nothing to complain about."

He was feeling the same. And for a smile, for every extra second of happiness in her eyes, he was ready to do anything. Even facing the anger of the Organization for pouring every grain of salt he found into a basin to recreate the feeling of sand.

For Naminé, he feared nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still, that must have been quite a lot of salt in that water for her to be able to believe that was sand... Why is there that much salt inside Castle Oblivion?
> 
> See you tomorrow for Fallen Kingdom!


	17. Fallen Kingdom

Cid woke up to people screaming in the streets, and he knew it was time to go. For many weeks now, he had witnessed the kingdom fall into chaos - it all started when the King, Ansem, disappeared.

Nothing could have prepared him for such a sight. It was the end of the world, he could feel it. The town was invaded with monsters. Not monsters like the ones he used to fight in his youth, but small, creepy monsters with a skin so dark it looked like they were absorbing the light, and yellow eyes that kept following your every movement. Cid grabbed his spear, a beloved weapon he hadn’t used for a while now. It would be useful.

He started to make his way through the city, but he had no idea what to do. He slayed monsters here and there, but if he didn’t know where they came from, how to stop them? He witnessed a very frightening scene - a citizen, the baker, a man he saw every day of his life, got attacked by one of these monsters… and turned into one. Cid promised himself he wouldn’t slay any of these again.

“My son, have you seen my son? He and his friend left the house hours ago, and they aren’t back yet!” The woman’s face was distorted with worry. Cid remembered her son, remembered the two boys who were always sneaking off somewhere, exploring or getting in trouble. He shook his head, sorry he couldn’t help, and prayed the kids were still fine. Breaking the vow he just made, he destroyed a couple of monsters who were trying to attack the desperate mother, giving her time to flee.

That’s when he heard the cries. The terrified pleas of help of a child, the sobs of a young girl, the screams of a boy barely younger. He turned his head to see the young girl holding back the boy, who was barely any older.

“Let me go, Aerith! Can’t you hear her scream? I have to go back!”

“No! The monsters, they’ll hurt you, Squall! We need to find some help!”

“By the time we do we’ll be too late!”

Cid hurried to their side. “What’s this about? Shouldn’t you find somewhere safe to hide?”

“Cid! Yuffie is… Yuffie is...… Yuffie’s still in the orphanage! And there are monsters in there!”

Cid cursed. “Fine. Hide somewhere - wait, scratch that. Stay with me. I’ll keep you safe. Let’s get her.”

He barged into the house, gripping firmly his weapon. The hall was full of monsters - but no little girl. He could still hear her screaming, which meant she was safe. For now.

Destroying the monsters one after another, they made their way to the room where the screams originated. The little girl had climbed on the top of a dresser and was throwing things at the monsters - books, hangers, anything she’d find - with an incredible accuracy, given how much she was screaming and crying.

Monster after monster, Cid cleaned up the room, making sure Squall and Aerith were still safe. Once the last one of them was defeated, Cid smiled at the little girl.

“It’s alright now, Yuffie. They are gone.”

“But they will come back, won’t they?”

“I think they might.” He conceded gravely. He raised his arms to help her down, and she jumped into his arms, shaking. She must have been terrified.

“What about the other kids?”

Squall shook his head. “We couldn’t find anyone when we woke up.”

“Cloud!” gasped Aerith. “I’m sure Cloud is still…”

“I’m sorry, kiddo, but there’s no time. I have to take you to safety.”

“Is there such a place?”

Squall’s question made sense, as they stepped out of the orphanage. The streets were now empty of people. Were they the only survivors? Was this world done for?

“There is one place. Follow me.” Still carrying Yuffie in his arms, Cid hurried. Squall and Aerith followed, holding hands.

“Where are we going, Cid?”

“I want to go home,” Yuffie sobbed. But Cid ignored them, walking to a huge warehouse he owned. No monster had made it this far yet, and he gave Yuffie to Squall, opening the massive door.

“Cid, is that…” Aerith started, gasping.

“Yes. That’s our safe place. Our way out. My precious Highwind. Long time no see, girl.”

Cid had no time to spare watching his beloved aircraft. He opened the door for the kids to climb in it.”

“But where are we going?” Asked Aerith one more time. Cid sighed.

“Anywhere else. Anywhere in the universe that will welcome us. I’ll protect you kids, no matter what, and but this place isn’t safe anymore.”

“It’s our home.” Squall said, obviously fighting the tears in his eyes. Cid took him by the shoulders.

“It’s mine as well, and we will come back once things have calmed down. I promise.” On these words, he started the engines. “Now sit, buckle up, and pray. There’s nothing else we can do right now, so better do it well.”

The engine took off. From up there, it was even more painful to see how destroyed the city was. Empty. Soulless.

“His Majesty once said that every star up there is a world. Let’s hope he was right,’ Cid whispered to himself. 

Meanwhile, the three kids stared at the desolated world with sorrow, their three voices becoming one.

“Farewell, Radiant Garden.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truth be told, I wanted to write a fic involving all 4 of them in the ship, Cid having to deal with such young kids, but it felt better to just stop before that!
> 
> Tomorrow is Pride!


	18. Pride

Vanitas gritted his teeth. He had endured many things in his life. Been through torture, both physical and emotional, humiliation, pain inflicted by others and by himself, hunger, nightmares, sickness, he had been close to death more than he could count. But nothing could ever compare to this.

“It’s not that hard,” Sora cheered with a smile. “That’s my only condition for you to join us. Come on, I know you can do it, Vanitas. The sooner you do it, the sooner it’s over. I promise no one will laugh at you.”

He squinted at the three faces before him. Faces he knew all too well. The Three bears themselves, all having a different expression painted on their faces. Papa Bear Terra was looking ready to jump at his throat and finish him here and now. Mama Bear Aqua was doing her best to hide her disdain and attempted a smile that looked more fake than anything. Baby Bear Ventus was ready to forgive him already (sharing the same heart helped a lot) and was giving him an encouraging nod. Vanitas took a step back.

“I don’t think I can. Can’t I do anything else? I’ll take care of everyone’s chores for a year. I’ll tell you every dark secret Xehanort keeps. I’ll talk in rhymes for a week. You’re allowed to give me either ten slaps right now in a row or five slaps that can be doled out at any point from here to eternity. Please.”

Sora sighed. “A deal is a deal. You said you would do it.”

“That doesn’t mean I want to!”

“Vanitas…” Riku growled, weapon in hand. Vanitas frowned, reminding himself that attacking them wouldn’t help his case.

“Fine. That’s what you want? That’s what you’ll get.”

He turned back to the bear family. He regretted this promise already, but after betraying the Norts, he needed a place to go.

“Ventus. I am not sorry I tried to kill you so many times, but that’s because I believed back then that was the only way for me to survive. Now that I know that was a lie, I won’t try to kill you again. Happy Sora?”

“Thanks for your honesty.” Ventus chuckled. “I wouldn’t have trusted you if you had said you were sorry, because I know you’re not. I hope we can get along now.”

Vanitas crossed his arms, turning to Aqua. “You beat me quite a lot of times, and I never won. I don’t even see what I should apologize for. You owned me everytime.” Sora cleared his throat, and Vanitas rolled his eyes. “Right, right. I shouldn’t have tried to use you as a backup plan, based on my own decision. And to try to stab you. Several times. That won’t happen again.” He turned back to Sora. “Are we good now? Can we stop this?” Every word hurt his pride so much. Having to be  _ honest _ , having to promise to be a good boy was absurd.

“Vanitas.” Aqua didn’t sound angry. She sounded tired. “I cannot say that I forgive you for your past actions. But I’m willing to move on. I will do my best, and I hope you will as well. I might even be surprised, who knows? Sora said he trusts you. I trust him. I hope you won’t disappoint.” What was it even supposed to answer to that? She smiled, and he tried to smile back. Mimicking people was sometimes the best thing to do. That made them think you shared their views. Terra cleared his throat and Vanitas groaned. He hated Terra.

“Terra. I have nothing to apologize for.”

“Vanitas, you said-”

“I mean it, Sora. I met Terra only once. We never talked before. I have nothing to do with what happened to him. I’m not going to invent sins just to please you.”

“ _You_ didn’t do anything, but your Unversed…”

“Were not controlled by me. I set them free because I can’t help it. They would attack anyone, good guys, bad guys. Think of them as pets. I have no control over them. Maybe they did some wrong, but I’m not to blame for that. You can hate me, and I can hate you, but everything that happened to you is Xehanort’s fault. Not mine” He shrugged. “And I don’t care about being your friend anyway, so spare me the whole motivational speech. Sora, I’m done. Can I now find an empty room and sleep?” Without even waiting for an answer, he left the room, slamming the door.

“What in the worlds just happened?” Terra asked, staring at the door. Aqua chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I guess we just got a brand new little brother… Who happens to be in his teenager phase. I can’t wait to see how things turn out.”

And on the other side of the door, Vanitas shared their hope - for the first time in his life, he was ready to put his pride aside, if that meant having a place to belong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That would be pretty Sora-like to accept Vanitas (probably not 100% trust him though), at the condition that he apologizes for what he did to everyone!
> 
> I AM NOT OKAY THE FINAL TRAILER BROKE ME. Won't go any more into details for people not wishing to watch them. BUT DARN THAT WAS GOOD.
> 
> Tomorrow's theme is Red!


	19. Red

"Is that a new world? So cool! I wonder where we are!" Sora looked around. The gummi shipped dropped them in what looked like a modern town. There were cars on the street, and they were facing a huge building. When Sora realised what that was, his shoulders collapsed.

"Send me to the hottest desert, send me to a dangerous jungle, throw me into the ocean, I won't mind, but why do we have to end up… _At school_?!"

"Come on, Sora, it can't be that bad!"

"Donald's right. You don't even have to follow classes. All we need to know is to make sure everything is alright!"

"Fine, fiiine… Let's have a look around."

From the looks of it, there wasn't anyone around. The corridors were empty of students, Heartless, Nobodies, Unversed. But as they kept on walking, the bell started to ring, marking the end of class - and the weirdest thing Sora ever witnessed happened.

All students left the classroom while singing. What it was about, he didn't really know. They were mentioning something like a Basketball match, and maybe the weather or what they would do for the holidays. Suddenly walking had become much more difficult, as Sora, Donald and Goofy had to avoid being hit by all these dancing people. If Sora knew a thing, it was that no one at his school would dance like that when leaving the classroom.

The crowd all moved towards a gymnasium, and the trio had no choice but to follow. Turns out there really was a basketball game. The local team wore red jerseys with a feline on it, and they were playing against a team in orange.

"At least that should be fun to watch!" Sora cheered, having missed watching sports matches.

It wasn't fun to watch. It was barely even basketball as they knew it. At first, it looked like a regular game, but soon enough, players started to… Dance, again? The crowd started singing. One of the players, the number 14, started singing louder, and the crowd calmed down, humming. Sora was really disappointed. His voice was fine, but this was not basketball.

A girl in the crowd stood up, her voice joining the player's one. Was this a lovesong? Where was the game?

_This is the start, of something new…_

Sure, the music was catchy, _but Sora wanted some sports_. He would even have enjoyed some heartless, at this point.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the "match" was over, the red team winning. Sora was pretty sure none of the teams actually scored anything.

"Let's at least ask them if they know anything," sighed Sora, walking to the singer duet. "Uh, guys? Hello?"

"Hi! Are you a new student? Never saw you around!"

Sora felt relieved none of them seemed to react to Donald and Goofy. "Yeah, I guess you could say I am…?"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Gabriela, and this is Troy. Can we help you?"

"Actually, yes! I was wondering if anything strange happened around, lately."

"Strange? Like what?"

"Oh, you know… Weird… _animals_ around, people wearing black coats appearing out of nowhere…"

"Animals? In the school?" Troy laughed. "No, there's no such things."

"There was this one man in black, though!"

"Tell me more!"

"Well, there was this man, wearing a hood, so we couldn't see his face… And he asked us what we would consider being the light of this world…"

"Oh no… What did you tell him?"

Troy and Gabriella exchanged a passionate look. Usually, Sora would have found this cute, but he was a bit annoyed by the fake basketball game.

"We sang him a song about love being the light of our world. I can't imagine a world without Gabriella."

"And I a world without Troy."

"And then he left grumbling he should consider finding another job."

"A friend of yours?"

Sora shook his head, smiling. He almost felt sorry for the Nort. "Not quite. Thanks for the info! I have to go, sorry! See you later!"

He almost ran away without even letting them answer. As they jumped back into the gummi ship, Sora looked at his two friends.

"I know two things for sure. One, the Norts will never try to take possession of that world. Two…" He shivered. "I never want to set foot in that world ever again. Deal?"

"Deal!" They both answered in unison.

They took off without any other glance at the world they were leaving.

Some places were just too weird even for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly? This sounded so much better in my head than it turned out on paper. One of the challenge involved a world that wasn't in KH, and as soon as we said that, I decided that High School Musical would be the one, as I'm pretty sure it will never, ever, EVER end up in KH.
> 
> Tomorrow will be called "Quest", and we're going to a completely different universe!


	20. Quest

Although Ava never dared saying it out loud, this whole quest was absurd, ridiculous and vain. She knew it, and they all knew it.

What was the point, really? They had been given a book that laid the future in front of them. A grim, inescapable future. What was the Master even expecting from them? They were children. They could act as tough as they wanted, but Ira and Aced had barely turned eighteen that year. Invi was sixteen. Both Gula and her were fifteen. Give children a powerful book, a world on the edge of annihilation with the promise that they couldn't stop this, and then disappear? What was he even thinking?

And with that whole _traitor_ thing, they were all suspicious of each other. Not only them, but the Wielders themselves had started to fight, Union against Union, and there was nothing to be done. All Ava could do was select a few of them, the ones that still believed in peace, to make them her Dandelions. Would that mean they would get a happy life? Definitely not. Most of them would still perish. Children killed by children. Unions, parties, everything torn away, the word friendship losing all of its meaning.

She had chosen five of them. Two girls. Three boys. Some of them had met before. Some of them had not. She didn't mind what Union they used to be from. She chose them, because she could see in their eyes they all dreamt of a brand new world. They all believed mankind wasn't doomed yet, they refused to give up, the kept on seeing the beauty of this world. She had carefully watched every one of them before giving them the book. Ephemera had been the most natural choice. She had a soft spot for him, nothing romantic, but she liked him, she liked how he was a natural leader, even though he wasn't aware of it. Out of the five, the other one that really stood out was Strelitzia. She was shy, probably not leader-born, but she saw the good in everyone and everything. She was looking for a place in this world, and lacked confidence, but Ava saw her really bloom when she was with her sibling, and she had decided she had to be one of the five.

But even with five new leaders appointed, Ava knew this wouldn't solve anything. They were doing exactly what the Master had done before them - let some other people deal with war and world destruction, and then vanish.

A tear rolled down her mask, and she quickly wiped it away before Gula could see it. For now, they had other business to deal with.

They had their own quest to complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it my first Foreteller fic in this collection? is it not? I can't remember. But I really wanted to write something about them!
> 
> Next theme: Breath


	21. Breath

Aqua and Terra were calling - he could hear them.

"Ven! I think you slept long enough, don't you think? It's time to wake up now." Terra sighed. "Aqua, you try, he won't listen to me. He never does."

"What do you mean, Terra?" Aqua chuckled. Ven had missed that sound. "He always listen to you. Even when he shouldn't. Come on, Ven, stop being so lazy. It is time to go. That's what you want, don't you? To be back with us again."

"If you say no, Aqua will be very annoyed, you know."

Ven opened his eyes. His eyelids were still really heavy. His whole body was fighting against him. There they were, in this big, white, empty room, smiling at him. He had missed them so much. They looked exactly as he remembered them. They were holding hands, and reaching out for him. He wanted to take their hands, but his body wouldn't let him.

"Ven, please. Come with us." Aqua was still smiling, but she looked sad. Ventus didn't want her to be sad.

"A...qua. Te...rra." Talking was difficult, after a decade of silence.

Terra gave him a gentle smile. "It's us, Ven. We have come for you. We won't go anywhere without you. But it is time to go, you know."

Ven's mind was still fuzzy. He could almost hear other voices in his head, calling his name. Telling him to wake up. Telling him to fight. But fight against what? Terra and Aqua were right there. They were smiling at him. They were waiting for him. That was where he belonged. There, and nowhere else.

He finally found the strength to move, taking their hands. They smiled, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Let's go. We promised to stay together, didn't we? I won't ever leave your sides again."

He felt happy. He was at peace. He was with his family.

* * *

In the Chamber of Repose, Sora let out a cry of despair as Ventus let out his final breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO IF THAT LAST SENTENCE NOW SOMEHOW FEELS FAMILIAR I WANT TO APOLOGISE I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING  
> (for people not watching the trailers and worried, I'm not saying we've had a trailer with Ven dying OK? x'DD )  
> Tomorrow's theme is "Relief". Not the best title after this fic, is it?


	22. Relief

He was home. Their son, their baby was home, after having gone missing for so long.

"Hey, Mom, Dad." He was standing awkwardly by the door, obviously unsure about what to do. His father dropped the plate he was holding. His mother completely froze.

"Is that… Is that you? Is that really you?"

"It's me." He lowered his eyes, and his voice was shaking. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I'm sorry I worried you. I'm sorry I-" What he was sorry for, they would never know, as they both ran to hold him in their arms.

How much he had grown! Was his hair longer? He looked stronger, too. Something in his eyes had changed. He was a little boy when he went missing. He was now almost a man.

"You're home, you're home…" His mother kept repeating these words, her fingers playing with his hair. His father put his forehead on his shoulder and sounded as if he was praying, thanking whoever brought their child back.

This was too much for him to handle. His mask cracked, and he broke into tears.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"Shh, it's okay now. It's okay. You'll tell us what happened later, okay, sweetheart? How about you just rest, today? You can take a bath, if you want, and we'll have dinner, all three of us. We'll have a hot chocolate and watch a movie together. How does that sound, love?"

"That sounds… Yeah. Let's do this. I've been longing to do this for a very, very long time."

He kissed both of them, finally letting go of the hug, although reluctantly. They still stared at him, at how much he had changed, for at least a minute before stepping back.

"Mom… Dad… I'm home." He said with a smile, sniffing. They smiled back at him, both of them crying as much as he did.

"You are, Riku. Welcome back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure at first whether I wanted it to be about Sora or Riku. But given how Riku's parents never lost their memories, they actively suffered the loss of their child for all this time, not knowing what had happened, wondering if maybe he drowned or something, and I knew it had to be about them. I know we will never see their parents, never get a scene when they came back home. But this must have been a really emotional moment. I hope you enjoyed my take on this.
> 
> Tomorrow is about "Ashes".


	23. Ashes

There was nothing left in this world. Nothing but ashes and ruins everywhere. When the Heartless had started attacking the city, a huge fire spread, burning every building to the ground. Xigbar had been sent to see if anything of interest had happened, and he was about to go back to the Castle and make his report. And that was when he saw _him_. He didn't understand how he could have missed him before - Pink hair, white shirt, black jacket, quite hard to miss in such a desolated land. The man was sitting on what used to be wall, his eyes staring at his hand blankly. He didn't seem to even have noticed Xigbar.

"That's quite a surprise! I didn't expect to see any survivors around there."

The man barely reacted, finally looking up. Maybe he had seen Xigbar, after all. He didn't look surprised. He didn't look… Anything.

"Are you alone?" Xigbar asked. The man looked around.

"So it seems. She was… I'm alone now." A Heartless appeared, but it ignored them. Xigbar realised he had not seen that many since he got here. Were they destroyed by the fire? Or by something else? The man didn't even look scared of the creatures.

"What's your name? What happened here?"

"My name…? Lauriam. I'm Lauriam. As to what happened… I'm not sure. Everything seemed fine, until they got here. They attacked people. People panicked. I think they… Turned into these creatures? There was no stopping them. They attacked me, too. Too many for me to fight back."

"How did you survive, then?"

"I didn't. That's what I don't quite understand. I'm pretty sure I should be gone. But instead I woke up again, and there was no one around. Just creatures."

"I don't see much creatures anymore."

Lauriam shrugged. "I set the city on fire. That worked."

"That's… radical."

"That's efficient. There was no one left anyway."

His story, his lack of concern about anything confirmed what Xigbar hoped - he was facing a man who had lost his heart. A Nobody. He smirked.

"I have an offer for you."

"An offer?"

"See, I work with people like you. Heck, _I_ am like you. We lost everything to these creatures, the Heartless." Did he just seemed more attentive at the word Heartless? It could be Xigbar's imagination, though. "And they took from us something quite important. Our heart. Surely you noticed how little you cared about everything since they attacked you?" The man nodded in silence. "I can have you meet our boss. You could get a job, a place to live. Something… That's not in ruins. What do you say?"

Lauriam tilted his head. "Are this coats part of the deal? Because I'd _love_ to get one."

Xigbar laughed. "Yeah, they are. Join us and get a free coat! Best offer you'll get."

"Count me in. There's not much left to do in this world anyway. Can't wait to see what your boss has to offer."

Xigbar opened a dark corridor, ready to leave with Lauriam. Wait, was he already aware that there were different _worlds_? Xigbar noted that in a corner of his mind. He hoped the new recruit would be a better fighter than Demyx. But given he burnt down a whole city, he wasn't too worried.

Just as they were about to leave, he noticed from the corner of his eye that Lauriam was looking at a black book, that he slid inside a pocket of his jacket.

"Just you wait. I'll find you." Who were these words addressed to? Xigbar shrugged it off. Some of them had lost friends and family along with their heart. He didn't care.

It probably wasn't important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was slightly edited after the Khux update, but I kept it spoiler free. I'm working on a (non khux spoiler free) fic about Lauriam before he became Marluxia, hopefully this will be done before KH3! It shouldn't be too long so that might be ok, but Christmas time is a busy time.
> 
> The final theme is "Ice Cream". What's your favourite flavour?


	24. Ice Cream

"Look at that. We made it."

"The beach… After all this time."

"I was starting to think we'd never make it."

Axel, Roxas and Xion were contemplating the broad ocean facing them. The sound of the waves was soothing, and the view breathtaking. None of them tried to hide the tears in their eyes. After all they've been through, it was only fair that they were moved to finally be at peace, the three of them, together again.

* * *

"How long do you think we'll stay this time?"

"Sora! You can't possibly be thinking of leaving again so soon! Don't you want to spend some time with your family?"

"Relax, Kairi. Of course he does. It feels good to be home again. But Sora is relentless, he'll soon be bored out of his mind."

The Destiny Island trio were sitting on their tree, a bit afar from everyone else. They wanted to give them some privacy. But they also wanted to enjoy the feeling of being home, and it wasn't easy with a bunch of newcomers around.

* * *

"This is… Beautiful."

"It is indeed."

Only Ventus noticed Terra wasn't watching at the sea when answering. He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I could take another decade-long nap here. The sun feels so warm on my skin. Wake me up only if the world ends or something."

But they knew the world wouldn't end. Relaxing by the waterfall, they were relishing their days in a world free of Xehanort.

* * *

"I only came for the ice-cream, you know."

"We know. You've said it at least five times now. How do you feel, Naminé?"

"This ice-cream is so surprising. It's salty… but sweet, too. And the sea is exactly how I pictured it. This is the first time… The first time I've ever really been outside, you know."

They were the strangest trio, pieces that quite didn't fit together, and yet, somehow, did. Vanitas, biting into his ice-cream. Repliku, staring at the horizon with a smile. Naminé, drawing on her notebook while eating her own treat. Three puppets whose strings were now cut and had nowhere to go, and found their way to one another.

* * *

"I want this peace to last forever," Sora said.

"I fear it won't, so let's enjoy it while it lasts." Kairi said.

"If anything else happens, we'll be there. We're ready." Riku said.

"We had to sacrifice so much to get here." Ventus said.

"Let's not make these sacrifices vain. Let's live the most out of it." Aqua said.

"It is time to learn from our past mistakes to make the future brighter." Terra said.

"What now?" Roxas asked.

"We live. That's what they wanted to prevent us from doing, and that's what we'll do." Xion said.

"Sounds like a plan. There are many places I want you to discover. Let's discover all the mysteries of these worlds." Axel said.

"I still don't know if there's anywhere for me to go now." Vanitas said.

"Then stay with us. We don't know much about the world either. Let's find out together." Naminé said.

"We can take our time. We have all the time in the worlds." Repliku said.

* * *

All at once, they looked up at the sky. They all had their role to play in this gigantic chess game, but it was over now. They now shared a common past. They were connected by the red string of fate.

One sky.

One destiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end.
> 
> First of all I am really proud of having all these trios together and not having killed any of them. Because we all know that ain't gonna happen. Nomura will kill some kiddos I'm sure of that. And I'll be ready to cry.
> 
> I can't believe this challenge is done! Just like last year, it was pretty time consuming, and I probably wasn't as involved this year as I was last year, but this was such a fun time. Thanks a lot to Saphir for doing this with me once again, and thanks a lot to whoever read these! Which one is your favourite? Mine would be... uuuuh... Probably Dragon, because of the kids! I did like what I did with Breath and Relief a lot too, as well as this one. I can't just pick one, as they are my babies, I love them all! (ok honest talk here I didn't like Red that much XD)
> 
> Depending on your time zone, it could be Christmas already, so merry Christmas! Any idea what Santa might get you? I know I'm finally getting the KH PS4 games, including 0.2, YOU KNOW, THAT GAME I RAN FROM SPOILERS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW. I'm super excited!
> 
> Merry Christmas once again, and see you around for more fics before KH3 is released! (I might take a short break after the release :) )


End file.
